Filling machine



March 11, 1941. p w sg 2,234,585

FILLING MACHINE Filed Dec. 2'7, 1939 4 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOREgdzfmpddl WQL WLLSom 9 ATTORNEY March 11, 1941- E. P. WILSON 34,585

FILLING mcnmm 7 Filed Dec. 27, 1939 4 sneaks-sheet, 2

INVENTOR EcE/ZuJPdJLmL WLLSaOTL/ I A QRNEY March 11, 1941. E. P. WILSON2,234,585

" FILLING momma Filed Dec. 27, 1959 4 Sheets-Sheet s \NVENTOR Edward,PcLvaL WLLsom March 11, 1941. E. WILSON FILLING MACHINE Filed Dec. 27,1939 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 J&

INVENTOR Edward 6 cLvuL Wilson] BY ATTORNEY Patented Mar. 11, 1941UNITED "S TATES RQPATENIT OFFICE FILLING MAGHIN E Edward-Percival WilsonLondon, England, assignor to Lancashire Dynamo .& Crypto Limited,

London, England Application December 27, 1939, Serial No." 311,101 InGreat- Britainv January. 19, 1939 7 Claims.

This invention relates to'filling machines and more especially tomachines for filling sausages, and has for an object to provide animproved machine of simple and efficient construction which may bedriven by hand or by motor and which is much less cumbersome than theusual filling machines and which can be rapidly and effectively cleanedafter use.

'The'filling machine of the invention comprises 'a cylindrical containerfor the filling material in-Which is mounted a central shaft fitted witha vane adapted to sweep the cylinder from one face toanother of a secondvane of Wedge or segmental form secured within the container andextending from end to end thereof and to- -wards the central shaft; thissecond vane being provided with a port in its face leading to adischarge outlet disposed externally of the container. To thedischargeoutlet is attached the usual filler tube receiving the article to befilled. The

shaft is driven through worm reduction-gearing having a high ratio by ahandle or a motor.

"To avoid the necessity for returning the vane to the starting pointeach time the container is discharged in order to commencea new fillingoperation, the fixed vane may-be provided with ports on each face and ahollow sleeve with a single port may-be rotatably mounted within thewane the sleeve being rotated after each discharge operation through tobring the port inthe sleeve into register with the port on the oppositeface of the fixed vane so that the container can be filled again'andreturn movement ofthe Vane made use of to discharge such fillingmaterial.

In order to protect thegearing, particularly where an electric motordrive is used, a clutch may be provided which is adapted to slip, saywhen the movable vane on its movement has contactedwith the surface ofthe fixed vane.

Two embodiments of a sausage filling machine constructed in accordancewith the present invention are illustrated in the accompanying.drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a cross-section through the container of amachine in accordance with a first embodiment, while Fig. 2 is ahorizontal section. Fig. 3 is a side elevation of aimachineconstructedin accordance with a secondan'd preferredembodiment of the invention.Fig. 4 is a plan view. thereof; Fig. 5 a'horizontal section showing thedriving :mechanism; 'Fig. 6

.-'is .a horizontal section through :the container; while Fig. 7 is avertical cross-section through rthe complete machine.

' Referring now to Figs. 1 and 2 "of the drawings,

cover plate'l -isclamped-in place.

. atdischarge .outlet- 'Iyin a screw threadedextensionfB :located:externally of the container ,I. To

' the extension 8 .is attached by. means of a'nutgil '-the,;usu'al,filler tube 1 I0 receiving the sausage casing to be filled. rThecontainer I is closed at the bottom by;a' hollow :pedestal- Il -forminga ear .box'within which is mounted aworm I2 which meshes with a wormwheel I3.mounted on the'shaft 2, vthe'worm and worm wheel constitut-.:ingga, reduction. gearing which is-adapted; to be driven 'by'means ofahandle or amotor (not shown), the handle or power-transmissioncoupling-fitting on thesquared end I 30. of; the shaft of the worm I2.The cover plate of the container I,;and the pedestal are secured"together by bolts (not shown).

In'use of theapparatus sausage meat is filled intov the container I-onone side of the .movable vane '3which is movedby rotation, of the shaftinto contact with one side'of'the vane5 and-the The shaft 2 is thenrotated. -As the vane*3 moveswith-the shaft 2 the sausage'meat insertedbetween it and the other surface of .the fixed vane-5 isforced throughthe port 5 in the-latter and through the filler tube I0. -By virtue-ofthe segmental-form of the fixed vane 5 with its radially disposed sur-"faces; thersausage meat 'is entirely discharged from the container I.--Anyair between the movbetween the movable-vane 3rand the inner surfaceof-the container I.

After the contents of the-container I have been discharged the vane-3is'returnedtoits starting point beforerthecontainer is refilled.

The*necessity for returning the.vane 3- to its original position isobviated in the embodiment illustrated in Figs. 3 to '7. Referring nowto Figs. 1

3 to 7,- I- denotes the containersecured by bolts I4 toavpedestal IIincorporating a gear box. Ondiametrically opposite sides of thecontainer IFand rotatably--mounted in brackets 15 cast thereon; are twocurved arms-I Bwhich are tapped to receive square-threaded clampingscrews ll. These clamps I! serve to hold down the coverplate 4' and canbe released and swung to one side, as indicated by the dotted lines inFig. 3 to allow cover-plate 4 to be lifted off. The cover-plate 4 isspigotted to fit the container l' and has two laterally projectingportions 4a constituting hand-grips to facilitate removal of thecover-plate 4' from the container I. The vertical rotatable shaft 2extends through a bearing provided in the upper surface of the pedestalI I and is provided with a bearing surface at the other end in thecover-plate 4. The shaft 2' is slotted at l8 to receive the flat vane 3which is secured firmly to shaft 2' by means of rivets l9.

The fixed vane 5' of wedge or segmental form is shaped to fit closelythe inner circumference of the container I, the shaft 2 and, on its flattop face 5a and its bottom face 517, the coverplate 4' and the pedestalsurface II respectively. The vane 5' is held in position by means of twoopposing positioning pins 20, one projecting through the cover-plate 4'and the other projecting through the upper surface of the pedestal ll.These pins 20 are disposed oifsetso as to prevent twisting of the vane5. The vane 5 is further secured by means of a rotatable andwithdrawable sleeve 8a positioned within a boss 2| on the exterior ofthe container I. This sleeve 8a is screwed to receive the usual clampingnut 9' for holding the filler tube III in position. The sleeve 8a isprovided with two diametrically-disposed holes 22 for the reception ofthe end of a plunger 23 slidably mounted in the boss 2|. The movement ofplunger 23 is restricted by means of a grubscrew 24 the point of whichengages in a slot in the plunger 23.

The vane 5' is provided with a slot 25 adapted to register with aco-incident aperture 26 in the sleeve 8a.

The machine can be operated manually or driven by power. A preferredform of hand operated gear shown in the drawings operates as follows. a

A shaft 21 carrying the'worm I2 is mounted in bearings in pedestal H andis provided with a squared end 28 to receive a crank handle (not shown).End thrust is taken up by a double thrust washer 29. A worm wheel I3 iskeyed to shaft 2', this shaft being further supported by a cover-plate30 and top plate 4. A plug 3| is provided for the admission oflubrication oil to the gearbox. Rotation of the worm l2 in one directionwill lift oil from the gearbox and deposit it in the cone-shaped top ofworm wheel l3 from which the oil may pass through the channel 33 to thebearing of shaft 2.

The bottom of the container l' constituted by the top of the pedestal II is raised or stepped as at 32 to reduce the possibility of waterworking down the shaft 2' into the driving mechanism. To reverse themachine it is simply necessary to turn the crank handle in the oppositedirection.

An arrow 34 is marked on the top of shaft 2', in-line with vane 3' andtwo .arrows 35 are marked on the cover-plate 4' to indicate the twoextreme positions of vane 3. The position of arrow 34 in relation to thearrows 35 will provide the operator with an indication of the amount ofmeat left in the container l'.

' The cycle of operations is as follows:

The rotatable vane 3 is rotated by rotation of the worm shaft 21 untilit lies fiat against fixed vane 5' in position 3a shown in dotted linesin Fig. 6. The container I is filled with sausage meat and thecover-plate 4' placed in position and held down by clamps [1. The vane3' is then rotated and meat is forced through the slot 25 in vane 5,through the aperture 26 in sleeve 8a and out of the filler tube It. Whenthe container I is empty, the plate 4' is removed and the machinere-filled. The plunger 23 is withdrawn from one of the holes 22 and thesleeve 8a rotated by means of the nut 9', thus bringing the aperture 26opposite the other side of the slot 25 in vane 5'. The sleeve 8a is thenlocked in this position by replacing the plunger 23 in the other hole22. The operator can then proceed to wind the vane 3 in the reversedirection, the meat being forced out as previously described.

To clean the machine, cover-plate 4' and sleeve 8a are removed and vane5' lifted out. These parts can be separately washed and the container I'washed out, any dirty water escaping from a slot 36 which is uncovered,when vane 5' is removed.

I claim:

1. A filling machine comprising a cylindrical container for thefilling'material, a stationary vane of wedge form secured within saidcontainer and having a port on at least one of its faces, a shaftmounted for oscillation within said container, a vane mounted on saidshaft and adapted to sweep said container from one face to another ofsaid stationary vane and to push the filling material through said portand a filling nozzle disposed externally of the container in.communication with said port for receiving the contents of thecontainer.

2. A filling machine comprising a cylindrical container for the fillingmaterial, a stationary vane of wedge form secured within said containerand having ports on opposite wedge faces communicating with a commonoutlet passage, -a shaft mounted for oscillation within said container,a vane mounted on said shaft and adapted to sweep said container fromone face to another of said stationary vane and to push the fillingmaterial through one of such ports and a filling nozzle disposedexternally of the container and connected to said outlet passage forreceiving the contents of the container.

3. A filling machine comprising a cylindrical container for the fillingmaterial, a shaft centrally mounted for oscillation within saidcontainer, a vane mounted to oscillate with said shaft and adapted tosweep said cylindrical container in its oscillation, a stationary vaneof segmental form secured within said container and extending toadjacent the periphery of said shaft, said stationary vane presentingabutment faces to the oscillating vane and having a port in at least oneof its abutment faces communicating with the exterior of the container,and an outlet fitting disposed externally of the container and incommunication with said port for receiving the contents of thecontainer.

4. A filling machine comprising a cylindrical container for the fillingmaterial, a shaft centrally mounted for oscillation within saidcontainer, avane mounted to oscillate with said shaft and adapted tosweep said container in its oscillation, a stationary vane of segmentalform secured within said container and extending to adjacent theperiphery of said shaft, said stationary vane presenting abutment facesto the oscillating vane and having ports in its abutment facescommunicating with the exterior of the container, and an outlet fittingdisposed externally of the container and adapted to be brought inregister with one of said ports to permit the contents of the containerto be discharged.

5. A sausage or like filling machine comprising a cylindrical containerfor the fillingmaterialIa shaft centrally mounted for oscillation withinsaid container, a vane mounted to oscillate with said shaft and adaptedto sweep said; container in its oscillation, a stationary vane ofsegmental form secured within said container and extending to adjacentthe periphery of said shaft, said stationary vane presenting abutmentfaces to the oscillating vane and having ports in its abutment faces andan adjustably mounted sleeve extending externally of the container andhaving a port adapted to be brought in register with one of said firstmentioned ports to permit the contents of the container to bedischarged.

6. A filling machine com-prising a cylindrical container for the fillingmaterial having a base and a cover, a shaft centrally mounted foroscillation within said container and having a bearing in said cover, avane mounted to oscillate with said shaft and adapted to sweep saidcontainer in its oscillation, a stationary vane of segmental formextending to adjacent the periphery of said shaft and secured withinsaid container by pins extending from said cover and said base, saidpins being oifset in relation to one another, said stationary vanepresenting abutment faces to the oscillating vane and having ports inits abutment faces communicating with the exterior ofthe container, arotatably mounted sleeve extending externally of the container andadapted to be brought into register with one of said ports to permit thecontents of the container to be discharged. and means for locking saidsleeves with its port in register with either of the ports in thestationary vane.

'7. A filling machine comprising a cylindrical container for the fillingmaterial having a base having a central raised portion and formed by, apedestal and a cover, a shaft centrally mounted for oscillation withinsaid container having a bearing in said cover and extending through saidbase, gearing mounted in said pedestal for oscillating said shaft, avane mounted to oscillate with said shaft and adapted to sweep saidcontainer in its oscillation, a stationary vane of segmental form;extending to adjacent the periphery of said shaft and secured withinsaid container by pins extending from said cover and said base, saidpins being offset in relation to one another, said stationary vanepresenting abutment faces tothe oscillating vane and having ports in itsabutment faces communicating with the exterior of the container, arotatably mounted sleeve extending externally of the container andadapted to be brought into register with one of said ports to permit thecontents of the container to be discharged and means for locking saidsleeve with its port'in register with either of the ports in thestationary vane. ,7

EDWARD PERCIVAL WILSON.

